


Zombified

by roku (younezeau)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Sickfic, basically all fluff, hamilton is tired, i hate smutt lol, laurens has anxiety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-26
Packaged: 2018-05-28 07:57:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6321331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/younezeau/pseuds/roku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander tends to overwork himself, but what happens when Laurens visits old friends for the week and leaves Alexander to care for himself? John returns to a man who hasn’t eaten or slept since the night he left for his trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Alexander had woken up to the sound of bacon grease popping in the kitchen and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. He turned over in his bed and stared at the vacant spot before him. Pulling the duvet blanket up to his chin, he reached over and grabbed one of John’s pillows and buried his face in it, letting what was left of its’ warmth hug Alexander’s body. After a few moments, Hamilton took one last deep breath and pushed himself from under the covers. He rubbed his bare arms. Sleeping with a significant other next to you made the bed rather toasty, so he usually opted for sleeping with just a pair of pajama bottoms and no shirt. He walked over to John’s desk, which was just a table with a laptop on it and a small desktop shelf for organizing papers. Bills, mostly. Laurens didn’t have the most fantastic job, which was being a server at one of the local restaurants, but Hamilton was lucky enough to have a job that was able for them to live comfortably. They definitely were not living the high-life, but Alexander was good at balancing their finances, so they seldom had to worry. 

 

Alexander snatched a zip-up hoodie resting on the desk chair and slipped it over his shoulders before walking down the stairs of the small townhouse and into the kitchen. 

 

“My dear, there will come a day where  _ I _ am the one making you breakfast.” Hamilton yawned. 

 

“Ha! That makes me chuckle, Alexander. When will there be a day where you go to bed at a decent hour? That usually doesn’t happen after days of all-nighters or better yet- sickness.” Laurens responded, poking at the sausage he was cooking. 

 

Laurens lifted a plate that he had set beside him and filled it with a helping of scrambled eggs and sausage, “Is today one of those days where you wake up and actually want breakfast?” 

 

“I’m afraid not. I think I’ll stick to coffee today.”    
  
“You say that but you always end up snagging one of my sausages.”

 

Hamilton shrugged to that remark and filled his coffee cup, though he did pick up a sausage from the pan with his free hand before walking to the table to sit with his boyfriend. 

 

Laurens was the first to speak up, “Lafayette texted me last night, talking about getting together and going down to a beach city not too far from here. Hercules said he was available- of course- he’s his own boss. I heard he had taken in some up and coming tailors into his boutique recently as well.”    
  
“I’m happy for him, he deserves a successful business,” Hamilton paused to take a sip of his coffee, “and what are the plans for this trip Lafayette decided to spring on us.” 

 

Laurens shifted his eggs around his plate nervously, “It’s about a four hour drive, Lafayette was hoping we could be together for at least a week.” 

 

“Laurens. You know I can’t take a break like that. As much as I would like to take a week of my summer to relax with everyone again, I can’t. Not with how demanding my job is at the moment.” 

 

“I’m aware.” Laurens sighed. He rose from the table, scraping the rest of his breakfast into the trash and walking to the sink. 

 

“Don’t let that stop you from going. They’re your friends as much as they are mine.” Alexander said apologetically. He rose from his seat as well, leaving his coffee on the table. He draped himself around his lover and kissed his neck, John’s ringlet curls blurring Alexander’s vision. He pushed them out of the way and nibbled kisses on his boyfriend’s ear. 

 

“Alex!” Laurens giggled. He turned to face the lanky man and returned the hug, walking forward and leaving Hamilton to drag his feet between his attacker’s legs. The taller man dragged his boyfriend across the small kitchen and into the living room, where he dumped the smaller man over the side of the couch with his legs dangling over the armrest.    
  


“Laurens please. Laurens. Laurens!” Hamilton screamed and giggled as his pursuer laid on top of him and cocooned him in his warmth. 

 

“I would miss you.” Laurens whispered into Alexander’s ear.   
  


“The feeling is mutual, but it has been so long since you have last seen them. I don’t want you to miss this opportunity.”

 

“And you will be okay?”   
  


“I always am in the end, aren’t I?”

 

“..Debatable."  
  
  


* * *

 

“This is a case that is going to require a bit more work than usual, are you up to the task, Hamilton?” George Washington asked, going through the papers, “A specific company suspects that one of their higher-ups is embezzling from them. Their financial records are spotty, but I believe with a bit of analyzation and a bit of elbow grease this case. I need letters to be written to the people in charge of their finances, excluding the man in question. Notes need to be pulled from the evidence and a draft for what our approach will be in court if you get far enough. I’ll be working on the firm’s finances as well as some of the other minor cases we have taken on in the last month. I would like a breif for one of your last cases, as well as a contract for another. Of course everything you need to work on is in the folder I had pieced together.” 

 

“Thank you sir. Would you rather I give it to you as soon as each chunk has been finished or when the folder is completed?” Hamilton asked.    
  


“I’d rather you turn it all in once the folder is completed, and expect more work as the case develops, though, knowing you the workload will be more than half done before we reach that stage.”

 

* * *

 

George looked up at the clock hanging on the wall opposite to his desk. It read 6:30. The man convinced himself he was at an ample stopping point. He packed his things and walked into Hamilton’s office. The man had a nasty habit of working with the lights dimmed, not to mention the horrible posture he gets when he is in a rhythm. 

 

“Hamilton.” 

 

The younger man jumped at the sudden sound of his name, his leg hitting the desk with a painful-sounding thump. He stood and faced Washington, “Is it already time for closing, sir?” 

 

“Time flies, my friend. Will you be working at home for the remainder of the week?”    
  


“If you allow it, sir.” 

 

“Of course, I’ll be sure to email you if anything changes, just keep an eye on your inbox.” 

 

* * *

 

Alexander came home and helped Laurens pack for his upcoming trip. 

 

“I’m going to miss you more than there are stars in the sky.” Laurens cooed, catching a t-shirt Hamilton had thrown at him. 

 

“What website did you get that one from, facebook?” He joked.   
  


“Hey! I like those quotes, I think they’re sweet.” 

 

Hamilton chuckled, “If that’s what makes you happy, my love.” 

 

The two men spent their night doing laundry and helping Laurens pack for his trip. They spent more time lying in the freshly dried clothes then both of them would liked to have admitted, wrestling in it like puppies and attacking each other with fluttery kisses. The couple found themselves under the covers of their bed, with warm laundry over them, not caring about the packing they had left unfinished. 

 

“Goodnight, my love.” Hamilton whispered in a low, calm voice. 

  
“I love you, Alexander.” Laurens responded, pressing his head into his boyfriend’s chest. 


	2. 'I-put-the-coffee-machine-in-my-office-and-don’t-come-out-which-makes-my-boyfriend-upset’ room.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Laurens gone Hamilton is free to create his 'perfect' working environment.

Hamilton woke up in the late morning with a text on his phone that read: 

 

**From: Laurens**

I hate to leave without saying goodbye but i wanted to get a head start! ill call you when i get there and there should be enough leftovers to last you until i come back !! xoxoxo love u !

 

“Time to get to work then.” Hamilton said to himself, getting up with a grunt. His first order of business was a shower and coffee. With Laurens gone for the week he was able to build his master work fortress, which in reality was the ‘I-put-the-coffee-machine-in-my-office-and-don’t-come-out-which-makes-my-boyfriend-upset’ room. 

 

After that was set up he went work, tackling the folder Washington had giving him. It wasn’t long before his deadly rhythm began. Draft, coffee, edit, notes, more coffee, rewriting the draft, edit, notes- by then Alexander had moved the pot to his desk and had settled on drinking from the pot. 

 

The amount of hours he was spending on his work became aware to him in the back of his mind, but eventually fading out as his rhythm became more routine as the week went on. 

 

He was about done with his first project when he realized he was out of coffee beans. Cursing to himself, he looked his computer’s internal clock. The bottom corner of the screen read five in the morning. Too early for a regular grocery store but luckily for him, there was a twenty-four hour store near his house. Close enough to walk to.

 

“The cold air will give me a boost.” Alex muttered to himself. He slipped on some ratty sneakers, convincing himself that at such an odd hour, no one would question the shirtless man in nothing but sweatpants and old sneakers buying some coffee beans. 

 

The store was definitely not walking distance.

 

It was colder than Hamilton had thought. 

 

And, to top it off, he didn’t have his phone.

 

He eventually made it to the store in a shivering mess. Needless to say, the clerks on duty were shocked when a scrawny, gaunt-looking man with barely any clothes on walked into the small convenience store. Hamilton grabbed the strongest coffee beans the store had to offer, a name he’d memorized years ago. He grabbed a fair tin, making a mental note that he would need to visit the store at a more decent hour of the day. But he needed a boost. Now. He walked over the the store’s fridges and grabbed himself a Monster energy drink and a Five Hour Energy. He knew combining the two wasn’t the smartest thing but if he was going to power through until the morning, the drinks were going to give him the boost he needed. He walked up to the cashier, a young woman who definitely looked on edge for one reason or another, but Hamilton had a feeling it was because of him. He payed for his goods and walked outside, downing the Five Hour Energy before he hit the road. 

 

He didn’t even notice the cop car until the siren sounded as it came to a stop. It made him jump, as it would any other sleep-deprived man. The policeman approached him with a concerned look in his eye.

 

_ ‘Is he.. walking toward me? No… Oh my god he is.’  _ Hamilton thought to himself. He tossed the Five Hour Energy bottle into the trash and turned to face the man. 

 

“Got a call about a junky fitting your description, and I’m thinkin’ it’s you, son.” The policeman said. 

 

“If by that you mean a junky for caffeine then I guess you have the right man.” Alexander joked. Exhaustion pushed against him as he swayed to keep his balance. He stuck his arm out behind him to steady himself, forgetting that he was outdoors and the only thing behind him was the solid concrete sidewalk. Luckily, the policeman was experienced enough with drunks to catch him before he gave himself a nasty head injury. 

 

“If that  _ is _ the case,” the officer started, “how long have you been awake?”

 

Hamilton processed the question with a furrowed brow, “If Laurens left Friday morning and I woke up around nine and it’s now Saturday and it’s like, six? Maybe…?” He muttered to himself, “I’m sorry officer, may I ask the time?”

 

“Sure thing, son. It’s quarter ‘til seven.” 

 

“I- ahh,” Hamilton sighed, pinching his nose to stop the upcoming headache, “It has to have been about twenty-four hours? Give or take?” 

 

“Son, did you happen to drive here?” The police officer interrogated. His voice was hinting concern now, and Hamilton could understand why. Most people who didn’t know him didn’t know that this was his usual situation. 

 

“No sir, I walked. Needed some fresh air before I got back to working, but it found that I misjudged how far away this store was to my home, and if the time is what you say it is I’m going to have to get going, it’s about an hour walk.” Hamilton explained. He hoped this would end the confrontation, but as he was about to walk past the officer, he was grabbed by the arm.

 

“Son, you are half naked. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have, and you’re shivering like a seizure patient. Now if you wouldn’t mind, I was called out here expecting to arrest some meth-head, but I’d be happier driving you home tonight.”

 

Alexander followed the man to his car. The officer gestured for him to get in the front seat. Once they were situated the younger man gave the driver his address.

 

“How old are you, my boy.” 

 

“Twenty, sir.”    
  


“Twenty! Ah, when I was your age I definitely wasn’t pulling consecutive all-nighters like these. You gotta a job that makes you work these hours?” 

 

“Yessir, I’m a lawyer or, urhm- I hope to become one someday. Taking online classes.”

 

“Impressive, keep up the good work.”

 

“Thank you, sir.” 

 

“Are you living with your parent’s while you study?”

 

_ ‘Ahhh shit. The million dollar question,’  _ Alexander thought. 

 

“No sir, my father was never around and my mother succumbed to illness in my home in Naves, an island in the Caribbean, when I was twelve. Immigrated when I was eighteen. I do live with my uh… Boyfriend though, sir.” 

 

“Well I’m sorry to hear about your ‘folks, and your boyfriend- he treats you well? Those bruises aren’t out of anger, I hope.” 

 

Hamilton’s face flushed with heat as his hands shot up to cover his neck and collarbones. The fucking hickies. He forgot about those, “N-no sir!” Alex squeeked, “My boyfriend! He is a very loving man!” 

 

The police officer laughed, “Ha! I didn’t think so lad, you should really see the look on your face right now. Whatta sight!” The officer’s GPS told them that they had arrived in it’s robotic voice. Alex scrambled to gather his things and gave the officer enough thanks to last him a lifetime. 

 

Once he was inside he immediately went to his office to brew a pot of coffee. He was behind schedule, and at this rate another all-nighter was staring him in the face. He opened the can of Monster and got to work. 

 

The afternoon of that day was full of time skips. Every so often Hamilton would find that he would be staring at the clock for five minutes with no memory of time passing. Paying attention during his online classes was the hardest thing. He made a note to text one of his classmates about upcoming assignments. His computer’s clock read 3:30 in the afternoon. He’d been up for around thirty-two hours, give or take, and there was no sign of going to bed soon.

  
  
  



	3. Aware but unconscious.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> too much coffee is rly bad for you

“Laurens! Relax, my friend. Alexander probably dropped his phone in ze toilet!” Lafayette reassured. He handed Laurens a beer. The three men were sitting on the balcony of the shared hotel room- a two bed suite with a pull-out couch. Laurens insisted he take the couch. The two beds were meant for the four men to share, and he wasn’t comfortable having his friends share a bed while he have a bed to himself. 

 

“I’m just worried that he’s gotten into one of his self-destructive routines again. I haven’t been away this long in ages. Lafayette, he hasn’t answered in two days! If he hasn’t slept, he’s probably a zombie as we speak!”

 

Lafayette examined the man as he took a long draw from his cigarette. He blew the smoke away from his friends saying, “Laurens, you love Hamilton, but he is not your life! Zis week is a week for you to relax and unwind, have some fun with your friends! If you are so worried- do as ze Americans say, ‘pass the buck’ to his boss.”

 

“I’m going to give him a call now.” Laurens sighed, “Thank you, Lafayette.” 

 

“Zat is what I’m here for.” 

 

* * *

 

 

“I’m sorry Laurens allow me to piece this together… It’s been three days since you went out of town and you’ve heard  _ nothing _ from Alexander?”

 

“Exactly. Mr.Washington I hate to put this on you but can you please check on Alexander as soon as possible? There should be a spare key under the little stone cat beside the door.” Laurens’s voice shook with anxiety. 

 

“I’ll go over now. Thank you for telling me.” Washington said. He hung up without a goodbye. He sent Martha a text about what was going on, punched Hamilton’s address into his phone, and drove as fast as he legally could to his co-worker’s house. 

 

When Washington arrived at the house he noticed all the lights were off. If he was a passerby he wouldn’t have thought anyone was present in the home, which sent an unnerving chill up his spine. As Laurens said, there was a house key under a small stone cat next to the door. The man picked up the key and put it into the lock. He was shocked to find the door was already open. 

 

“Alexander!” Washington called as he entered the house. He took off his shoes and walked upstairs to the bedrooms. A faint but audible typing could be heard from one of the rooms that was clearly an office. He opened the door, calling Hamilton’s name. No answer. Washington repeated himself several times before he breached Alexander’s ‘personal bubble’. Typing wasn’t the only sound Washington was hearing, though. Hamilton was muttering slurred words to himself as he typed, mostly inaudible gibberish, but in his mind was working a million miles an hour despite the obvious lack of sleep. George studied the boy in front of him in awe. He had never seen Hamilton shirtless or exposed like this before. The young man was hunched over in his familiar bad posture, but because e was shirtless, his spine was visible, and so were his ribs. It didn’t take a doctor to know that Hamilton was feeding himself the amount he should have. His entire body was pale with random muscles convulsing involuntarily. His hair was dirty and pulled up out of his face, which was sunken and gaut. Washington had never seen his friend in such bad shape. Bags and dark circles haunted Hamilton’s face, his eyes were red and glossed over, his lips were cracked, and a fine sheet of cold sweat littered his browline. The man smelled like stale coffee and disgustingly sweet energy drinks. 

 

Hamilton hadn’t even acknowledged Washington’s presence, even with the man repeating his name several times. The older man reached out and put his palm on his friend’s forehead. He sighed, the younger man was definitely running an intense fever. 

 

Washington rested his hand on Hamilton’s shoulder. His muscles convulsed in protest, “Alexander, let’s go to bed.” 

 

The younger man responded in slurred words, not looking up from the computer screen. 

 

“Pardon?” George said, leaning in closer as to hear better. 

 

“You’re just another.. Hallucination… Go away. I am t-trying.. To.. Work... “ He slurred. 

 

“Alex,” Washington said, keeping his voice calm, “I am touching you, I am  _ real.”  _

 

No response. Hamilton’s mind had successfully convinced itself that the man in front of him was another apparition. Washington was was riddled with anxiety. He had no idea his friend could work himself into such a state. He was thankful that Laurens had called him. He had no idea how much he would have deteriorated if Washington hadn’t visited. God, he could have stayed up for another twenty-four hours. George walked out of the room and dialed Lauren’s number. 

 

“Mr.Washington?” Laurens sounded concerned on the other end of the line, “Is everything alright?”

 

“Ah- uhm yes.. And no. I’m not sure. It’s Hamilton, he’s conscious, but hallucinating. He doesn’t believe I am real. He is in his office working as we speak. I don’t know how to handle this.” The older man explained.

 

“This isn’t good.” Laurens sighed, “He’s probably running a fever at this point, right?” 

 

“You’ve dealt with this before?” Washington questioned.

 

‘ _ Does this happen often?’ _   The older man asked himself. 

 

“Alexander gets into these routines every so often. I just hope the coffee maker isn’t at his desk.” 

 

“Mr.Laurens. What should I do if that is the case? Along with empty energy drinks and whatnot.” Washington heard Laurens spew curses on the other end of the phone, along with the younger man having quick conversations with men on his side of the line. 

 

“Ok, Washington, Hamilton is in danger.” Laurens breathed, trying to keep himself together, “If it’s what I suspect Alex just isn’t over tired but also has a caffeine overdose. He has a high tolerance, but lucky for us three days of only caffeine is his cap. Last time this happened it was a not-so-fun trip to the hospital.” Laurens took a deep breath, “I’m going to talk you through this, but be prepared to call the paramedics.” 

 

“What do I need to do.” 

 

Laurens instructed Washington on how to handle the situation. First, he went into Hamilton’s office and took away all the caffeinated drinks. He noticed a newly-empty Five Hour Energy and cursed himself for keeping Hamilton out of his watch. Setting everything on the ground away from the desk, Washington went around turning on all the lights. He paused for a moment, frozen in shock at his friend in front of him. Turning on the lights heavied the gravity of the situation. Using gaut to describe the man before him would be a gross understatement. To pull the younger man from his hallucinations, George hunted around the house for the items he needed. A new kitchen sponge, drinking water, and a bowl of ice. 

 

Washington entered the room with the items and set them on ground. The desk was to cluttered to put anything on top of it. He pulled Alex’s chair away from his desk and swivelled the chair until he faced his superior. Laurens instructed the older man to listen to Alexander’s pulse and breathing. Short, ragged inhales, and exhales that resemble coughing. As for his pulse, his heart was beating a mile a minute. Washington didn’t know how long his friend’s heart had been like this, but he doubted it could keep it up any longer. Laurens practically shouted at him what to do while the paramedics arrived, Washington could tell the man on the other end was shaking. And honestly, his hands weren’t stead either. George hung up and dialled 911, requesting an ambulance. He quickly hung up the phone and got to work. 

 

Washington took the rough side of the dry sponge and rubbed circles into the younger man’s hand, calling his name and waiting for a response. After a few minutes of trying to wake Alexander with the rough sensation, he tried the second option. Washington placed Hamilton’s hands into the bowl of ice and kept them there. To help the process, and to clean his face of its feverish sweat, he soaked the cold sponge in the cold drinking water and worked at gently rubbing his face. 

 

Washington couldn’t believe that the young man’s face could get any paler, but here it was, turning a sickly shade of pale green. Thankfully his reflexes were quick enough that he could grab the garbage bin for Alex to vomit into. 

 

Just when George had thought the worst had past, Hamilton went limp against his friend, falling out of his chair and spilling the melted bowl of ice.

“Alexander!” Washington gasped. He grabbed the sickly man by the shoulders. Hamilton’s muscles trembled, the young man was shaking in a cold, feverish sweat. Washington tried calling out his friend’s name, but no answer came. When the paramedics arrived they found Washington cradling Alex’s head in his lap, his face riddled with fear and anxiety. They looked at the unconscious man. Hamilton’s eyelids fluttered, dipping in and out of consciousness. He slurred nonsense, whether to himself or to others was unknown. 

  
One thing was for sure, if the paramedics didn’t slow Alexander Hamilton’s heartbeat soon, he was going to die. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i boosted through three chapters in one day and i dont even draft this fucking shit i just vom it out so enjoy everyone


	4. Glossy eyes and his boyfriend's anxiety.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alexander is weak, and too tired to stay conscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this on my phone because im on vacation rip
> 
> disclaimer: i do not agree with washington's stance on mental illness. he is a character i am characterizing for the sake of story, and does not reflect my personal views on such topics

“Mr.Washington I know you’re concerned but do you know what Mr.Hamilton consumed in the past three days.” 

 

Washing studied the paramedic in front of him. She was probably around Hamilton’s age, if he had to guess. 

 

“Mr.Washington.” The woman said, getting his attention.

 

“Ah, yes. Sorry. I don’t know what he did exactly, but his boyfriend mentioned that this had happened before, so I can only assume it has been nothing by caffeinated drinks for seventy-two hours.”

 

“Thank you, Mr.Washington.” 

 

* * *

 

Nurses from the hospital met them at the emergency entrance, quickly grabbing the gurney and pulling Hamilton into a separate room. 

 

“Intubate the patient and prepare for Electrical Cardioversion, we need him breathing easy, and we definitely don’t need Mr.Hamilton choking on his own vom on top of it.” The doctor instructed, lowering Alexander so he was lying completely flat against the bed. The woman pulled a small flashlight out and whisked the light across the young man’s eyes as the nurses grabbed everything that was needed. Hamilton struggled under the sudden flash of light, forcefully closing his eyes and using his remaining reserves of strength to turn his head away from the woman. The doctor cursed under her breath and ordered one of the nurses to grab a sedative.

 

“Hook him up while you're at it, he still has caffeine in his system and we need to pump him full of  _ everything  _ to flush it out.” 

 

Washington watched the nurses buzzed around his friend like worker bees. Trained professionals had done these procedures so many times that it was almost like the steps had been programmed into their genes. Some of the nurses hooked Hamilton to different machines, while one in particular administered the sedative and attached him to an IV. 

 

The doctor pulled out the tools needed to intubate the patient. She released the metal tongue from it’s casing and slid it down the back of the patient’s throat with ease. The woman had just started to slide the plastic tube down the young man’s throat when a nurse walked up to Washington. 

 

“I’m sorry sir, but at this time you must go to waiting room until your friend is stabilized.” 

 

* * *

 

“Mr.Washington?” 

 

George looked up from his phone. He had been on the phone with Laurens non-stop for three hours now, who was only about an hour away from the hospital at this point.

 

“Yes, yes, I’m here. How is he?” The man asked, slipping the phone into his pocket. 

 

“I’m sorry sir, but before we can answer that there are some questions that need answering.” The doctor looked at her clipboard with concern, “Mr.Hamilton has no emergency contacts or next of kin. There’s no one listed in his file.”

 

“He has a boyfriend, I know that much. I’m a friend, but his boss as well.” 

 

“Any direct family that you know of?” 

 

“No ma’am, I’m sorry, he’s an immigrant, he’s never talked about his family in the years I’ve known him.” 

 

The doctor tapped her pen on the clipboard she was holding. She let out a sigh, “Mr.Hamilton is.. unwell, Mr.Washington.” She started, “There were some complications when trying to get his heart at a regular pace.” 

 

“..What do you mean?”

 

“I mean.. We unfortunately had to use a defibrillator on Mr.Hamilton, to restart his heart. He experienced cardiac arrest during his treatment. There were multiple causes for this, Mr.Washington,” The doctor made eye-contact with the taller man, “Has Mr.Hamilton always been a sickly man?”  

 

“I’m sorry?” Washington was taken back at the question. ‘Sickly’ definitely wasn’t an adjective George would have used to describe the man, but as of late, it might start to be. 

 

“On top of having his heart in a delicate state, Mr.Hamilton is suffering from a viral infection and severe malnutrition. Mr.Washington, I only see this level of malnutrition in anorexia patients.” 

 

“Anorexia? No way, Hamilton’s mental state isn’t that weak.” 

 

“But, he is a workaholic, is he not? We’re  _ still  _ trying to flush all the caffeine out of his system. Is it possible there simply isn’t room in his mind for eating?” 

 

* * *

 

Heavy, groggy,  _ weak  _ were all words that could have described Hamilton when he attempted to awaken. He felt a familiar hand tighten around his as another brushed against his face. He peeled his eyes open, realising that even a simple task like that had drained him.

He looked at the man in front of him. Laurens, his love, his everything. Had it been a week? He wasn’t sure. He tried to study his boyfriend’s face, but he found himself unable to concentrate. Unable to concentrate on staying conscious, unable to speak, unable to move. Hamilton let exhaustion weigh his eyelids down and consume him in sleep. 

 

Alexander drifted in and out of consciousness for quite a bit of time, each time he was able to

stay awake for a little longer, pay attention to a little more. 

 

But he definitely was able to pay attention when someone came in and removed the tube that had been in his throat. He remembers choking on the tube for a handful of seconds, the feeling of suffocation as he gasped for air, a tight grip on his hand and another brushing his hair away from his face. He was choking. He was choking. He couldn’t breathe in enough air, slowly suffocating. Was he dying? Was suffocation how he was going to leave the world behind? Leave Laurens behind?

 

Someone had slipped a plastic mask over his nose and mouth. Oxygen flowed into the mask. Alexander turned and coughed. He gasped for air for what seemed like an eternity. Sooner or later his breathing steadied, a shallow breath that had him fading out if consciousness once more. He looked at his boyfriend with heavy eyelids, slowly closing, slow to reopen. Laurens talked to him in a soothing voice and traced Alexander’s eyebrow with his thumb. He tried to listen to the man in front of him but he was underwater, drowning in a sea of consciousness. His eyelids became too heavy to bare once more as he drifted off to sleep. 

 

* * *

 

Seeing Alex in such a state destroyed Laurens, who had come to visit his love the morning after the incident. Hercules and Lafayette had convinced him to stay at their apartment for the night, saying that rushing to the hospital would only worsen his anxiety. They were right, of course. A shower and a nights rest had definitely calmed him down, but as soon as he saw Alexander he sat by his side and did not leave. The doctor had explained the situation to Laurens and his friends. The cardiac arrest, the viral infection, the drugs that they were using to keep Hamilton asleep as they flushed his body with another assortment of drugs to completely rid him of caffeine. He was also on an intense course of saline drip to try to nourish him as he recovered. 

 

Hamilton looked like death was hanging over him. He was extremely pale, almost as pale as the night Washington had found him. As his body fought infection, a fever drained him of energy. His clammy skin was cold and moist to the touch. Dark circles littered his face, which was sunken and thin. He had become a thinner man overall, and he had already been lanky to begin with. A plastic ventilation mask covered his nose and mouth. His breathing was shallow and weak, leaving a small cloud against the plastic every time he exhaled. He was connected to numerous IVs, which made his veins visible. The most predominant thing though, was the machine that monitored his heart. The fine red line peaked every second. It was a small peak, with a weak beep following it. It didn't take a doctor to know that Hamilton’s heart was weakened from the event. 

 

For days, Laurens and all of Alexander’s friends watched as he would drift in an out of consciousness, but remain unable to communicate. Laurens would talk or hum to him with familiar sayings or melodies. At times, Alex would slur words and try to communicate. But they either came out as weak moans or too slurred to understand. There was one or two incidents where Hamilton’s eyes would be open, but glossed over as he stared at his love. It destroyed Laurens to see Alexander in a state where he couldn't communicate, nor even remember these events. 

 

Laurens had lost count of the days out of pure exhaustion, he only knew the time. It was around noon when he felt clammy fingers twitch under his light grasp. 

 

“Laurens…” Alexander slurred. He stopped and took in a few wheezy breaths. His eyes remained closed as he continued, “I’m.. Sorry..”  

He peeled open his eyes halfway to look at his love. Even with Alexander’s vision blurred with exhaustion, he would tell Laurens was weeping. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry the updates have been so slow 
> 
>  
> 
> yes, the paramedic was peggy schyler (or however u spell skyler lol)

**Author's Note:**

> what happened to my end notes about this fic being the embodiment of my vom wtf even is this website
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: I FUCKED UP I FUCKED PU AND NOW SHIT IS GONE SOMEONE SMITE ME WHERE I STAND LORD IN HEAVEN TEAR ME VERTICALLY AND USE MY STOMACH ACID TO IGNITE MY BODY FUUUUUUUUUCKCK


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